Cable operators flay attack on Hamid Mir

LAHORE: Cable Operators Association of Pakistan has condemned attack on senior journalist and renowned anchorperson Hamid Mir and prayed for his early recovery.

Addressing an emergent press conference at the Lahore Press Club here on Saturday, Association’s central president Capt (retd) Jabbar A Khan, chairman Ghufran Mustafa, secretary general Sheikh Ijaz, vice-chairman Shahid Lodhi and Punjab chapter president Malik Arif, however, also criticised Geo News for flashing the picture of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general for eight hours saying baseless allegations were levelled against head of top spy agency of the country.

The Association office-bearers said they had not received instructions from any quarters to stop airing Geo News channel in any part of Pakistan. They said if it was happening somewhere, it might be done on individual basis and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was responsible for taking action in this regard.

Expressing solidarity with Hamid Mir, they said they had all sympathies for the brave journalist and his family.

They hoped that Geo/Jang Group would try to cool down the situation. They also lauded the efforts of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who expressed solidarity with the Pakistan Army and appealed to all parties to cool down the situation.

They also demanded the PM and information minister immediately appoint regular chairman of Pemra, alleging that corruption had doubled owing to absence of a full-time chairman.